Liverpool are trying their best to tie Ibrahima Konate down to a new deal at Anfield, according to a promising new update regarding the centre-back’s future.
The 24-year-old made the move to the Reds during the summer of 2021, arriving as an exciting signing and proving to be a fantastic servant to date.
Konate has invariably been Virgil van Dijk’s first-choice centre-back partner over the past two-and-a-half years, and while injury problems have been frustrating at times, his performances have been largely excellent.
While Van Dijk and Joel Matip are both now 32 years of age, the Frenchman is still only 24, with many viewing him as the long-term future of Liverpool’s back-line.
Konate is currently contracted to the Merseysiders until the summer of 2026, and while that date is still some time away, it looks as though the club are keen on extending his stay beyond then.
That’s according to French publication Le10Sport, who claim that Liverpool want to “open discussions” with the France international over an extension at Anfield.
They intend to “lock him down” before his deal edges closer to its expiry date, not only retaining his services but also protecting his value, should a huge offer from another club turn his head in the future.
Our thoughts on Liverpool offering Konate a new deal…
Konate may be suffering a slightly stop-start 2023/24 season, with injuries once again proving to be an issue, but handing him a new contract is an absolute no-brainer.
There is still so much more to come from him in the approaching years, and assuming he stays fit, his peak shouldn’t arrive for some time yet, which is such a mouthwatering prospect.
Whether it be his ability to thwart counter-attacks with his speed, his power up against opposition strikers or his understanding with Van Dijk, Konate is a vital player, and with Matip out for the season after suffering an ACL injury against Fulham, his influence is going to be huge between now and the end of the campaign.
The hope is that he feels happier than ever at Liverpool and doesn’t see his future lying anywhere else, eventually taking over the mantle from Van Dijk as the star of the Reds’ defence.
